RxBandit66 wrote:With all due respect to the game's best player, Sid needs to shut up and play hockey. Stop beaking the officials constantly.

I mostly agree, but since Bylsma barely interacts with officials, I feel like someone has to. I also think it's tough not to when entire teams are coached to hack, clutch and grab you all game and the refs do nothing and your coach sits idle.

Neither of these are relevant... If he needs some help making plays, put him with Malkin, but he's great with guys who play with grit and can get to the net.

The door is not slamming shut. This team is always in the thick, and lesser teams have beaten us -- with and without Sid -- at least as consistently as better teams, and vice versa. They are just inconsistent and get beaten by teams that key in our weaknesses. We need to stop trying to impose our will and start learning to be opportunistic. There was a time when they called Sid the greatest muck & grind player of all time. He needs to be that guy again.

I'd be pissed too if I had to look to my right and see either Brian Gibbons or Lee Stempinak. While at the same time I get my head pounded in without defense and on top of that see my GM do nothing but keep drafting defensemen.

Mad City Mike wrote:Mark madden has a good column today speculating on the cause of Sid's woes. I especially like these:

-- He's weary of not having quality linemates. Evgeni Malkin is great, but the two-headed monster doesn’t work long-term. Chris Kunitz is a Crosby creation, and he’s struggling right now. Lee Stempniak? Brian Gibbons? Come on. Crosby is too often asked to elevate lesser talents. That can’t be done indefinitely.-- He knows the Penguins aren’t good enough. This is the one to bet on. Crosby sees this window of opportunity slamming shut. One Stanley Cup isn’t adequate.

I think they are linked. The stats back this up. Prior to the deadline, Sid had 29G, 55A, +18 in 61 games. After the deadline, he had only 7G, 13A, +6 in 19 games. That's a huge dropoff. Did he see Shero acquire Stempniak and Goc and just say to himself, "WTF? There went Vanek to the Canadiens for a pittance. Moulson to Minnesota for even less. Gaborik to LA. Hemsky to Ottawa. Then you make a trade with Calgary and it's not even for Cammalleri. You got me Lee Friggin' Stempniak. Gee, thanks Ray."

Okay, he wouldn't say that over even consciously think it. But you do have to wonder what went through his mind and why his production declined after that, don't you?

Maybe you shouldn't draw conclusions from 19 games, where he was still putting up a ppg plus.

They are a game away from the ECF and were the number 2 team in the conference, but sure let's conclude that an ultra-competitive dude known for his hatred of losing that manifests itself in petulance at worst has given up.